Chicago Weather

A violent storm system that threw off one or more tornadoes left a trail of damage Thursday night across at least a 50-mile swath of north central Illinois, according to the National Weather Service.

Tornadoes were reported on either side of Interstate 39 near Rochelle Ill., as the storm blew on a northeast track across farms and small towns and headed toward McHenry County. The tiny hamlet of Fairdale, Ill., south of Rockford, was particularly hard hit, according to preliminary reports.

"Fairdale is pretty well destroyed, from what I understand," said Les Bellah, president of nearby Kirkland, Ill. "They're taking our backhoes and whatever generators and...

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